The High King's Noble Son, Part Iv
IV.
When Reth walked back down to his battered friends,
he said,”I knew not that he was such a fool.
If I’d had known, I’d have led you myself,
but there is still time, and much we can do.
“Every man here who can still walk or stand,
grab your armor, your shield, and your sword.
Garrow has made me your general again,
and it’s far time we take care of this horde.”
There were many grumbles, but all obeyed,
by the next morning two thousand stood tall,
Reth marched them out, heading north for the hills,
his few cavalry screening it all.
He came beneath a rugged plateau,
the north side of which was bound in cliffs,
marched to a narrow valley that cut deep,
strung his troopers across the mouth of it.
He sent archers to scale the fifty foot walls,
arraying them high, in command of the site,
then sent his cavalry out on a hunt,
said,”Find the bastards, and then pick a fight.”
An entire day passed before they came,
the horses racing fast to get clear,
he opened his lines, let them pass through,
then reformed, as his foe now drew near.
Seeing such a small and pitiful force,
the barbarians charged across the field,
Reth gave the command, and all of his men,
with practiced ease quickly locked their shields.
Covered on his flanks by the high cliffs,
the savage numbers could do not a thing,
they were lightly armored, not real soldiers,
and from above countless arrows did sing.
He’d brought extra quivers to rain down death,
and his footmen were armored head-to-toe,
the savages crashed, and fell just as quick,
cut apart by endless thrusting blows.
Reth kept his men in a quick rotation,
only forty ever fought at a time,
then they would fall back, new ones take their place,
thrusting with spear and sword on the line.
The endless Horde soon lay dead in great piles,
Reth could see Bimeng ordering them back,
but they were not soldiers, not disciplined,
and pressed forwards the stab and to hack.
By arrow and sword, they would soon be cut down,
before long half the horde did lay dead,
the survivors fled for the distant woods,
the wounded leaving blood-trails of red.
When Reth took stock he found he’d lost forty-three,
compared to thousands of barbarians,
he took a look at the scene, turned to his troops,
said,”I think that’s enough for today, men.”
The savage army did not reappear,
Reth marched safely on back to the fort,
word spread of the victory before them,
a cheering crowd awaited at the doors.
Copyright © David Welch | Year Posted 2018
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